Our story began in 1988 when Jim Park established a private management training consulting practice. In the late 1990’s, Jim Park and Susan Edwards met while working with a mutual client. They kept in touch, working together from time to time on other corporate projects. In 2005, they formed Advanced Performance Associates.

Jim Park, principal, has over 20 years of experience facilitating, coaching and developing managers and work groups. His work has helped clients across the country to streamline work flow, improve team effectiveness, increase performance and refine business processes. Unsurpassed as a facilitator, Jim has an innate talent to sense whether the participants in his workshops “get it.” If they have the “look of trout,” as Jim puts it, he changes his approach - on a dime, so that the participants do “get it.” It’s a gift, one that ensures that those who attend the learning events he facilitates leave with the knowledge they came for.

Jim believes that experiential learning is best for adults, so the classes and workshops he presents are decidedly hands-on. Participants leave with written actions plans for applying what they have learned to their jobs beginning immediately.

After graduating from the University of Michigan, Jim worked in broadcasting, non-profit, and manufacturing industries before beginning his consulting practice. He is a strategist with expertise in facilitation, executive coaching, and strategic planning.

Susan Edwards, principal, is one of the first in the United States to earn the designation, Certified Professional in Learning and Performance, or CPLP, via the American Society for Training and Development.

Susan has more than ten years experience managing training and development programs in corporate and government settings. Instructional design is her specialty, and she loves research – finding the latest, greatest business ideas and tools to apply to a client’s project.

Before moving into corporate training and development, Susan graduated from Eastern Oregon University and worked for ten years in the public relations field managing media and community and governmental relations. She is a communications strategist with expertise in learning design and results measurement.